THANDWE (MYANMAR): President Thein Sein on Tuesday travelled to Myanmar's conflict-torn west as a new spate of sectarian violence gripped the state of Rakhine, with police saying Buddhist rioters killed a 94-year-old Muslim woman and torched more than 70 homes.

Police officer Kyaw Naing said clashes broke out in Thabyachaing village, about 20 kilometres north of the coastal town of Thandwe, this afternoon.

He said the 94-year-old woman, Aye Kyi, died of stab wounds and that between 70 and 80 houses were set on fire.

The visit by Thein Sein to the divided region was his first since sectarian violence broke out more than a year ago.

He arrived in the Rakhine state capital of Sittwe and was scheduled to travel to several more towns in the area, including Maungdaw to the north and Thandwe to the south, where Buddhist mobs started torching Muslim homes Sunday, a senior official in the president's office said.

He declined to be identified because he was not authorized to speak about the sensitive trip.

Sectarian clashes that began in Rakhine state in June 2012 have since morphed into an anti-Muslim campaign that has spread to towns and villages nationwide. So far, hundreds of people have been killed and more than 140,000 have fled their homes, the vast majority of them Muslims.

Thein Sein, who has been praised for making moves to transition from half a century of military rule, has also been criticised for failing to contain the unrest and protect the country's embattled Muslim minority.

The latest flare-up began in the coastal town of Thandwe on Saturday after a Buddhist taxi driver told police he had been verbally abused by a Muslim small business owner while trying to park in front of his shop, according to a state government spokesman.

Police took the Muslim man in for questioning. But when he was released soon afterward, people became angry and started throwing stones at his home.

Several houses were burned Sunday, and a curfew was imposed. But today, ethnic Rakhine Buddhist mobs began new arson attacks in the region, 270 kilometres northwest of Yangon.

Hundreds of rioters burned "many" Muslim homes in three villages near Thandwe this morning, according to a police officer stationed in Thandwe who declined to be identified.

He said the villages included Thabyuchaing, Shwe Hlay and Linthi, all of them about 30 kilometres from the town centre.

THANDWE (MYANMAR): Terrified women and children hid in forests and security forces patrolled tense villages in western Myanmar on Wednesday, residents said, after sectarian clashes which left five Muslims dead.

President Thein Sein was expected to visit the violence-racked area as part of his first official visit to Rakhine state since a wave of religious bloodshed erupted there last year.

Sectarian bloodshed has overshadowed internationally praised political reforms and piled pressure on the former junta general, who took power in 2011.

The US said it was "deeply concerned" about the latest unrest and urged authorities to respond "decisively", in a statement issued by its embassy in Yangon.

Around 800 Buddhist rioters torched homes and attacked local Muslims in a village in the area of Thandwe on Tuesday, according to the authorities.

"The death toll rose to five -- four men and a woman," a Rakhine police official who did not want to be named told AFP, adding that the victims were all killed during Tuesday's violence.

A 94-year-old Muslim woman, who suffered stab wounds, was among the dead.

Four Rakhine Buddhists were injured in clashes and a fifth was missing, while 59 houses and a mosque have been torched since tensions flared on Saturday, police said.

Around 250 people have been killed and more than 140,000 left homeless in several outbreaks of inter-religious violence around the country since June 2012, mostly in Rakhine.

A local Muslim official told AFP that police had fired warning shots but could not control the mob.

"We are disappointed that we have a government that is unable to provide security for us," the official, Myint Aung, told AFP.

"We are living in fear. Many people, including women and children, are hiding in the forest nearby," he said.

AFP reporters on the scene saw a large security presence in the area, which appeared quiet on Wednesday.

The region is home to the popular tourist destination of Ngapali Beach although no foreigners were believed to have been caught up in the unrest.

Thein Sein held meetings with members of Buddhist and Rohingya Muslim communities during his two-day tour.

He spent Tuesday visiting a different area of Rakhine populated mainly by stateless Rohingya Muslims.

In a message to a multi-faith conference, which was carried in state media on Wednesday, Thein Sein lamented "instigations fuelling minor crimes into conflicts between the two communities and two religions".

THANDWE (MYANMAR): Terrified women and children hid in forests and security forces patrolled tense villages in western Myanmar on Wednesday, residents said, after sectarian clashes which left five Muslims dead.

President Thein Sein was expected to visit the violence-racked area as part of his first official visit to Rakhine state since a wave of religious bloodshed erupted there last year.

Sectarian bloodshed has overshadowed internationally praised political reforms and piled pressure on the former junta general, who took power in 2011.

The US said it was "deeply concerned" about the latest unrest and urged authorities to respond "decisively", in a statement issued by its embassy in Yangon.

Around 800 Buddhist rioters torched homes and attacked local Muslims in a village in the area of Thandwe on Tuesday, according to the authorities.

"The death toll rose to five -- four men and a woman," a Rakhine police official who did not want to be named told AFP, adding that the victims were all killed during Tuesday's violence.

A 94-year-old Muslim woman, who suffered stab wounds, was among the dead.

Four Rakhine Buddhists were injured in clashes and a fifth was missing, while 59 houses and a mosque have been torched since tensions flared on Saturday, police said.

Around 250 people have been killed and more than 140,000 left homeless in several outbreaks of inter-religious violence around the country since June 2012, mostly in Rakhine.

A local Muslim official told AFP that police had fired warning shots but could not control the mob.

"We are disappointed that we have a government that is unable to provide security for us," the official, Myint Aung, told AFP.

"We are living in fear. Many people, including women and children, are hiding in the forest nearby," he said.

AFP reporters on the scene saw a large security presence in the area, which appeared quiet on Wednesday.

The region is home to the popular tourist destination of Ngapali Beach although no foreigners were believed to have been caught up in the unrest.

Thein Sein held meetings with members of Buddhist and Rohingya Muslim communities during his two-day tour.

He spent Tuesday visiting a different area of Rakhine populated mainly by stateless Rohingya Muslims.

In a message to a multi-faith conference, which was carried in state media on Wednesday, Thein Sein lamented "instigations fuelling minor crimes into conflicts between the two communities and two religions".

Buddhism is the "fake religion of peace"? Because some Buddhists do this? But when murderous acts by Muslims are brought up, your response is that is wasn't Islam that was the motivation, but regressive cultural practices that were at play, practices inconsistent with Islam.

If you believe that, why isn't what's good for the goose, good for the gander, too?

So how come when Muslims kill... And say "I do this in the name of Islam" ... It's cultural. But this is NOT cultural, it's against Muslims strictly due to their religion Assmed? Do you even realize how much of a clown you are?

So how come when Muslims kill... And say "I do this in the name of Islam" ... It's cultural. But this is NOT cultural, it's against Muslims strictly due to their religion Assmed? Do you even realize how much of a clown you are?

Classic double standard. I see this all the time. If a western government bombs a country all the citizens of that country and even western civilization is responsible but if Muslims kill people it's not Islam that is responsible but only the individual doing the bombing himself.

Just another day on getbig, exposing the true nature of islam haters. Instead of talking about the killings by buddhits you're talking about my comment when all the time you say the same thing in sarcasm towards Muslims. At least I got your attention, but sadly, all I've done is expose your lack of humanity. You are blinded by your hatred towards Islam and Muslims. Even a 94 year old elderly lady being murdered in cold blood by a gang of thugs whatever they may be, is being ignored in your hate drive.

And USAtoday where? On the backpage or through some small text link? If it was a muslim committing a crime it would be 247 day and night for weeks on on every news channel and tabloid. But if it's mass of muslims for more than a year and a half being hunted down killed, whole villages burned down, then hey instead congratulate the burmese government for 'democratic reforms' and only say "we are DEEPLY concerned" every now and then as if that means anything.

Just another day on getbig, exposing the true nature of islam haters. Instead of talking about the killings by buddhits you're talking about my comment when all the time you say the same thing in sarcasm towards Muslims. At least I got your attention, but sadly, all I've done is expose your lack of humanity. You are blinded by your hatred towards Islam and Muslims. Even a 94 year old elderly lady being murdered in cold blood by a gang of thugs whatever they may be, is being ignored in your hate drive.

And USAtoday where? On the backpage or through some small text link? If it was a muslim committing a crime it would be 247 day and night for weeks on on every news channel and tabloid. But if it's mass of muslims for more than a year and a half being hunted down killed, whole villages burned down, then hey instead congratulate the burmese government for 'democratic reforms' and only say "we are DEEPLY concerned" every now and then as if that means anything.

Lack of humanity, oh please.

You just created this topic to show that muslims are not the only violent people in the world and that they are the victimes at the same time.You didn't post this to sensibilize people against barbary, it's another post about yourself and yourself like each of your posts: "Palestine", "Palestine", "Irak", "Islamophobia" blablabla...

Of course nothing about the genocide of Christians in Soudan, the civil war in Birmania, Somalia etc...

You just created this topic to show that muslims are not the only violent people in the world and that they are the victimes at the same time.You didn't post this to sensibilize people against barbary, it's another post about yourself and yourself like each of your posts: "Palestine", "Palestine", "Irak", "Islamophobia" blablabla...

Of course nothing about the genocide of Christians in Soudan, the civil war in Birmania, Somalia etc...

Can you tell me where in the world Soudan, birmania or irak is?

When you learn to spell then maybe come back and give us your insight.

All this tragic incident demonstrates is that people, regardless of religion, are capable of evil deeds. Why is this a surprise?

Do I, suddenly, blame all Buddhists because of this incident? No, of course not. But then again, I didn't blame all Muslims for 9/11. Or all Christians for abortion clinic bombings. And so on and so forth.

I don't judge books by their cover, although I can get an idea of what I'm likely to find inside.

But sometimes a particular ideology is so steeped in hatred and malice that it infects the souls of all those who follow and/or espouse it. Some to a lesser degree, others more. And that is a valid observation to make.